Abbas: Palestinians to scrap agreements with Israel

Ramallah: Palestinians will no longer abide by previous agreements made with Israel, President Mahmoud Abbas has said.

His remarks came on Thursday following an emergency meeting after Israel razed Palestinian buildings it said were illegally built on the edge of Jerusalem. 

Abbas said a committee would be formed to work out how to implement the decision. Agreements signed between the two sides over the past 25 years cover many spheres of activity, including security co-operation, the BBC reported on Friday.

Israel has not yet responded to the move.

Tensions between Israel and Palestine have heightened in recent days after the demolition of the buildings, which Israel's High Court said had been built too close to its West Bank barrier.

There was an international outcry over Israel's actions, which left 17 people homeless.

Islamic Hamas movement hailed Abbas' decision, calling it a "step in the right direction". 

Hamas also said that the Palestinian people "are looking forward to see these actions come into effect as soon as possible throughout a joint agreed-upon plan that immediately begins". 

The movement also called for the immediate formation of a national unity government and stop immediately security coordination with Israel "in order to be able to confront the dangers that aim at liquidating the just Palestinian cause".